Milking-machine.



F. A. LANE.

MILKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 22,1909.

979, 1%, Patented Dec.20,1910.

. jZ Za rwq FEEDER-EC A. LANE, LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGIl'OR TO D. H. BURRELL &

COMPANY, OF LETTLE FALLS, NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

-MACIBIINE.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

.- plication filed may 22, 1902). Serial No. 9'&',59(l.

at its front or delivery end with a main suction nipple for connection with the milk pipe leading to the pail, and rearwardly of its delivery end with a plurality of nipples for connection with the pipes leading from the teat cups LO the connector. In this class of machines, the suction is usually applied to the milk pail and acts from the latter through a pulsator valve intermittently upon the pipe extending from the pail to the connector and from the latter through the individual pipes to the several teat cups.

Air is admitted to the connector constantly.

for relieving the partial vacuum in the cups when the suction is cut olf by he pulsator valve, but the air inlet is so restricted that the suction effect is not materially impaired by this admission of air when the pulsator valve is open. A milking machine of this general character is described and shown in my Patent. No. 828,613, August 14, 1906.

The objects of this invention are to im-, prove the construction of the connector in such a way that the suction is applied ethciently, evenly and satisfactorily to the teats, that a large chamber is provided within the connector for filtering the air which is admitted to the same, and that the parts of the connector can be readily separated for cleaning.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is an elevation of a milking machine embodying this invention, the figure representing one set of teat cups connected with the pulsator and pail by the improved connector. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the connector. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a cross section, in line 4 1, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, showing a modified arrangement of the nipples.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

10 represents the milk pail, 11 the pulsator milk pipes connected with the pulsator in the usual way, one pipe for each set of teat cups, 14, 15 the individual teat cu pipes, and 16 the connector by means 0 which these individual pipes are placed in communication with the main milk pipe 13.

17 represents the body of the connector which has the form of a horizontal cylinder and is provided at its front end with a main suction nipple or short tube 18 for'conn'ection with the main milk pipe 13, and in its upper portion with two upwardly projecting front nipples 19 and two similar nipples 20, for connection with thefour individual teat cup pipes 15. The cavity 21 of the body tapers or contracts from the front end of the body,,to which the suction is applied, rearwardly, so that the front teat cup nipples 19 open into the cavity at a greater distance from the axis thereof than the rear nipples, or in other words, the front nipples 19 open into a portion of the cavity which has a larger area of cross section than that portion into which the rear nipples open.

22 represents a'chamber for filtering ma terial formed in the rear portion of the body, and 23 represents an air passage leading from said chamber into the narrow rear portion of the cavity of the body. This filter chamber is provided with a perforated cap 2 1 by which the filtering material, which may be cotton or other fibrous material, is confined in the chamber and through which the air is admitted to the latter.

The main suction nipple 18 is preferably made separate from the body and removably secured thereto by any suitable means, for instance, as shown, this nipple may be provided at its rear end with a flange 25 which is secured to the front end of the body by a screw cap 26, a packing ring 27 b ing interposed between the flan e and the end of the body. Upon detachmg the main nipple and removing the cap of the filter chamberthe parts can be thoroughly cleaned.

The air jet which flows into the cavity automatically in this manner to a certain of the body through the inlet passage 2 during the relief period when the suction is cut off from the teat cups, spreads in the cavity and readily enters the teat cup nipi pies, quickly relieving the vacuum in the same and in the teat cups.

During the suction period, when the suction is applied to the main nipple, the suction is equalized to a large extent upon the front and rear-teat cup nipples by reason of the rearwardly contracted form of the cavity. feet avoids excessive suction on the front nipples, and a weaker suction on the rear nipples. able because it hardens the teats and causes discomfort to the cow, and an insuflicicnt suction is objectionable because it does not cause the milk to flow fast enough and docs not milk dry.

The cavity or milk ilow space of the'conncctor properly accommodates the milk entering from both pairs of nipples. The milk passes from the rear nipples into the narrow rear portion of the cavity and the This equalization of the suction et An excessive suction is objectionj milk passes from the front nipples into the wider front portion, which is in part occupied by milk coming from the rear nipples, and this milk passes to the main suction nipple, together with the air which is drawn into the cavity through the passage I /Vhenthe flow of milk is comparatively 1 small there is considerable vacant space, not

occupied bymilk, in the cavity and the suc- 5 tion acts more energetically upon the teat cups, while when the flow is copious the; ,action of the suction is correspondingly;

qgmaller. 'lihe suction effect adjusts itself extent to the freedom with which the milk is given off by the cow.

in the connector represented in Fig. 5, the nipples 28, instead of being arranged in pairs, are arranged in a longitudinal row comprising a main suction passage atone cnd, a flow space for the milk contracted rearwardly from said passage, and teat cup nipples opening into said flow space at different distances from said passage, the front nipples openii'ig into a portion of the cavity which has a larger area of cross section than the portion into which the rear nipples open, substaiitially as set forth.

3.. A connector for milking machines, comprising a body portion having a, rearwardly contracted flow space open at its front end and having a filter" chamber formed in its rear portion and conmninicating by an air passage with. the small rear end of said space, a main suction nipple provided with a flange at its rear end, ascrew coll arghy which said nipple is secured to the front end of said body, and a cap covering the rear end of said filter chamber,-

substantially as set forth.

"Witness my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 

